Procedure

  • Attached a spring with a spring constant of 5 N/m onto a utility clamp on the end of a ring stand
  • Hung mass set with mass of 50 grams on the other end of the spring
  • Set the first iron ring at the equilibrium height
  • Set the second iron ring at an amplitude of .05 m
  • Pulled mass on spring down to the amplitude, released, and started timing
  • Stopped timing after 6 cycles
  • Increased mass, adjusted ring heights and repeated increasing the mass three times with three trials each time
  • Increased amplitude while keeping mass constant, increasing five times with three trials each time

Data

Spring_Lab_Data.PNG


Graphs

Spring_with_weight.PNG

Spring_with_weight_2.PNG

The data and graphs indicate a correlation between the mass and the period of a spring with mass system, but not between the amplitude and period. One can conclude this because the mass vs. period graph has a slope, indicating that the period is dependent of the mass, and in the other graph the slope is almost zero, indicating that period is independent of amplitude.

Mathematical Model


T = 2pi(m/k)^(1/2)

The mathematical model supports what is represented by the graph, that amplitude is independent of period and that period is dependent on mass.